1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope holding and storing apparatus which catches and holds an endoscope on an endoscope system storage rack or a system cart and which makes transportation of an used endoscope easier.
2. Related Art Statement
In recent years, endoscopes have been widely used in the field of medical treatment. When an elongated insertion tube of an endoscope is inserted into the body cavity, the endoscope can perform various medical treatments, such as picking tissues in the body cavity and an operation using treatment tools inserted into a treatment tool channel to satisfy a demand.
An endoscope is relatively long and has an insertion tube. In addition, the insertion tube is inserted into the body cavity and should be kept clean before the endoscope is used. Therefore, an apparatus which holds the endoscope before an operation is proposed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid Open No. 58403/1990. This endoscope holding and storing apparatus is provided with a rack 304 on the upper part of a rod member 302 fixed on a light source apparatus or on a side of a system cart 303 as shown in FIG. 1. Two concave holding parts 301 are arranged on The rack 304. The endoscope holding and storing apparatus holds the two concave holding parts approximately horizontal state. However, in the aforesaid endoscope holding and storing apparatus, it is possible that an unused and clean endoscope which was washed and disinfected, as well as a used endoscope which was not clean are caught and held by the same holding and storing apparatus. Further, the aforesaid endoscope holding and storing apparatus does not consider the transportation of a used endoscope.
FIG. 2 shows the construction in which an endoscope is caught by a hook provided in a system cart through a holder 312 fitted to a proximal operation part 311 of an endoscope. However, in spite of this construction it is possible that not only an unused and clean endoscope but also a used and unclean endoscope can be held by the hook provided in the system cart.